Five Ways to Get The Information You Need Out of Client Meetings
Client meetings provide a treasure trove of information for you and your project teams. They
are some of the most important tasks you will engage in throughout the project cycle.
Nevertheless, it can be challenging to get everything you need from them.
Client meetings have to accomplish a lot. They have to be efficient while also allowing you
to get a feel for the specifications and requirements your client wants in the project's
deliverables.
Meetings that don't provide you with all the data you need can be a huge drag on your
resources—especially revenue. Unproductive meetings waste
$37 billion each year.
There is a way to make your client meetings work for you while also adding more efficiency
to your projects. So, here are some tips to help you drive client meetings so you can get
the best information from them.
Realize What's At Stake
Client meetings are a tool, and if you don't harness them, then it will not serve the purpose
it is meant to. Your goal is to maximize your time and money by creating an environment for
well-ran client meetings. For example, tactics like asking the right questions can ensure
that you get to the heart of what your client needs.
The approach of getting more out of these meetings will lead to a decrease in mistakes and
diminish the need to have more meetings—which takes time away from projects you are managing.
The last thing you want is to walk away from these interactions with vague details that cause
you to go back to the drawing board because you didn't get the right information. Therefore,
make sure you realize what is at stake—good and bad— when it comes to managing and running
client meetings.
Preparation is Everything
You and your client should take on some prep work before you even meet. This step is something
that you should express well in advance of the meeting. A
project request form
is going to be critical to accomplishing this. This documentation lets your clients know what
information you will need from them to get started on their project. These forms can include
things like:
-
General business information (mission, vision, business goals, etc.)
-
Target audiences
-
Project needs
-
Specifications and requirements
-
Timelines
-
And other pertinent details you need for the project.
You want to show them this form before you meet so the client can prepare this information ahead
of time. Additionally, you also want to give them information about your company that includes
details about the type of work you do, typical pricing, and the standard way a project timeline
unfolds when working with clients.
You want to start client meetings off in a way that enables you both to start from the best
place—taking time to prepare will allow you both to get right to the issues and talk about
the aspects that will propel the project forward.
Have a Meeting Agenda—And Share It Ahead of Time
Another way to ensure that you and your client discuss the most relevant information regarding
the project is to have a meeting agenda. To do this, start to think about all the information
you need to know that may not have been covered in the project request form.
From there, you should turn all these inquiries into meeting agendas. This step will give your
clients insight into the additional information they need to bring to the meeting.
Again, you want to make the first meeting into one that starts you off with all of the
information you need. A meeting agenda can be a crucial first step to accomplish this.
Additionally, make sure you give your clients the agenda ahead of time—at least a week.
This step will enable them to have time to prepare the information needed for the meeting
and put together any critical questions they have.
Be Upfront About Expectations Regarding Project Change
One of the critical things that can derail a project is constant changes. Therefore, you need
to make sure you drive home during project meetings the issues brought on by unplanned
modifications. You need to be clear about the project scope, time to delivery, and budget
changes that will occur if they seek out alterations.
For example, you may have a policy that says that "changes that modify the project's scope"
will result in a renegotiation of price and timelines. You should also specify what will
happen if a project change will cause you to restart the entire process and how you both
will handle this.
Discussing this event during your meetings will set the expectation regarding project changes.
It will also likely ensure that your clients will take them seriously, so they can determine
what they want ahead of time to avoid changes.
According to PMI,
avoiding scope creep or uncontrolled changes to a project's scope is one of the top drivers
of a project's success. Therefore, use meetings to try to diminish this event as much as possible.
Always End Meetings with an Action List
So, what happens once the meeting is complete? This step is where you need to ensure further
productivity by having an action list. For example, maybe there is some research that both of
you need to do before the next meeting or before work can occur on the project.
You—or someone who is taking notes—should list out the information needed from you and the
client. Additionally, it will also help if you both attach dates to these action items so
that you can set deadlines. You always want to end on a note that allows everyone to know
what they need to do to move the project forward.
Client Meetings Can Decrease Project Scope Creep and Improve Budgets
It can be argued that nothing is more important in project meetings than communication.
Client meetings are an opportunity to ensure that you and the client are on the same page.
Both of you need to come with the information each other needs and be ready to ask and answer
important questions about project needs. The more effective and productive the first meeting
is, the higher the likelihood that later meetings will be successful.
Again, it's critical that both of you set expectations upfront so that you can be partners
as you move forward through your projects. Much like team meetings, client meetings should
propel you both to work collaboratively to meet a shared goal.
Sources:
Intake Process,
https://www.workfront.com/project-management/life-cycle/initiation/intake-process
Meeting Stats That May Surprise You,
https://www.cornerstonedynamics.com/meeting-stats-that-may-surprise-you/
The Pulse of the Profession, 2018,
https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/pulse-of-the-profession-2018